Ohio HB 84

Ohio HB 84 ("Innocence Act") was introduced prior to the current Ohio law, but seems to have been resurrected because it does not contain the same exemption for interactive computer services.

Who it applies to: sites where a "significant or substantial portion" of content, revenue, stock-in-trade, or display space involves material that is obscene or harmful to juveniles. What constitutes a significant or substantial portion is not defined.

Allowed verification methods:

• Government-issued photo ID
• Public or private transactional data (credit card records, mortgage records, employment records, etc.) processed through a commercial age verification system
• Third-party or government databases using the above

Enforcement & penalties:

• Violations are a first-degree misdemeanor, with each day of non-compliance treated as a separate offense
• Both the organization and individual officers/employees can be charged
• Minors (or their parents/guardians) can bring a civil lawsuit seeking injunctive relief plus attorney's fees

Other notable provisions:

• Re-verification every two years: Sites must re-verify users who have accounts or subscriptions every two years – this is rare among state age verification laws
• Mandatory geofencing: Sites must use a licensed, third-party geolocation/geofence system to detect whether a user is located in Ohio. If the system detects an Ohio-based user, access must be blocked until age verification is completed. Sites must also notify users when a geolocation check fails
• On-demand data deletion: Account holders can request deletion of their data at any time, and the site must comply immediately

Note that commercial adult content (where the performer is 18+, consented, and had no reasonable expectation of privacy) is explicitly exempted from the bill’s provisions related to non-consensual intimate images and deepfakes.